Representing IPEMA at CONIDA: Advancing Aerospace Medicine in Peru

In July 2026, crew member Daniella Hurtado had the opportunity to represent the Iniciativa Peruana de Estudios en Medicina Aeroespacial (IPEMA) as a speaker at a conference hosted by the Agencia Espacial del Perú (CONIDA), Peru’s national space agency.

The conference, titled “IPEMA: Impulsando el Desarrollo de la Medicina Aeroespacial en el Perú,” focused on presenting IPEMA’s work and highlighting the importance of developing aerospace medicine in Peru. As IPEMA’s founder and General Coordinator, Daniella shared the initiative’s vision, educational activities, and efforts to encourage students and young professionals to explore the connection between medicine, human health, and space.

Presenting IPEMA within an institution closely connected to Peru’s space sector was a meaningful opportunity to exchange ideas and introduce the initiative to members of the national space community.

The event also helped establish an initial institutional connection with CONIDA, creating opportunities for future collaboration in aerospace medicine, education, and space-related activities.

For Daniella, the experience represented an important step in bringing together her medical training and her interest in human spaceflight. It strengthened her commitment to contributing to the development of aerospace medicine in Peru and to building opportunities for those interested in this emerging field.

The experience was also a reminder that advancing human spaceflight begins long before reaching space with the people, knowledge, and institutions preparing for that future today.